The present invention relates to video production switchers, and more particularly to graphical source identification (ID) displays.
The current state of the art in video production switchers is to provide simple alphanumeric displays to identify sources of video material coupled to the switcher. These alphanumeric displays typically are limited to four characters because of the space available in a source column for the switcher. Identification of a source in the shortest period of time is critical in live video production switcher operation, and technical directors have resorted to colored icons printed or drawn on paper tape placed between source selector rows on the switcher. Printing and installing source IDs in the source buttons of the switcher is considered to be inappropriate due to the time it takes and the fact that sources change from show to show and operator to operator. Most live technical directors consider four character source name displays useful only when sources change during a production, such as when the switcher is fed by a preselector like a facility router.
What is desired is an enhancement to the source ID displays on production switchers that is more like the paper tape used by today""s operators.
Accordingly the present invention provides a graphical source ID display for production switchers that aligns a bit-mapped region with each source selector column in each mix/effects (M/E) of the switcher. Each region has a graphical icon supplied by an operator that uniquely defines the source to that operator. The display region may be split to identify shifted and unshifted sources associated with that source column. In lieu of icons, text may be generated. Further the display regions may be backlit in different colors, with top and bottom regions lit in different colors.
The objects, advantages and other novel features of the present invention are apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended claims and attached drawing.